NeighborWorks America Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 NeighborWorks America Strategic Plan Now more than ever, NeighborWorks America and its network of NeighborWorks organizations across the country are needed to provide opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities. The prospects for constricting federal, state and local resources, ongoing community destabilization in the wake of the housing market collapse, and tightening credit standards for both consumers and developers will present unprecedented challenges. Meeting these challenges will require the resourcefulness that is the hallmark of NeighborWorks America and its network of the finest community development nonprofits in the industry the ability to deliver both proven and innovative solutions efficiently and effectively; to be nimble and responsive to local needs; and to leverage public and private sector resources. Crafting the strategic plan involved an extensive series of conversations and reflections with our NeighborWorks organizations, the NeighborWorks America Board of Directors, staff at all levels of the corporation, and other partners and stakeholders to identify the most compelling needs to be met and the most effective use of resources over the next five years. This plan is both ambitious and realistic; it builds on our strengths as a national intermediary and leverages the unique value of our network of more than 230 NeighborWorks organizations. The five strategic goals represent a blend of innovation and proven solutions that reinforce impact, the continued excellence of our Network, local involvement and leadership of our NeighborWorks organizations, and collaboration across organizations in and out of the Network and across sectors. Our core values are embedded in how the plan was developed and are reflected in the goals and outcomes to which we have committed. We have embraced a set of operating principles that represent commitments that cut across all of our strategic priorities. These operating principles acknowledge our unique role in the community development field, and the central and symbiotic relationship between our staff, our network organizations and other strategic partners in accomplishing our mission. NeighborWorks is developing strategies to achieve these plan outcomes, starting with setting FY2012 operating goals and milestones. Progress against these annual targets and milestones is tracked quarterly, and an annual performance report will be generated each year to ensure the Corporation stays on course. MISSION NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

2 CORE VALUES In the way we conduct business at NeighborWorks America and relate to people both internally and externally, we will seek always to embrace the following values: Community - We seek locally driven solutions that incorporate the views of our various stakeholders and audiences, building on diversity as strength, and working in partnership with others to achieve results. Effectiveness - We are resourceful, responsible stewards, leveraging resources to maximize impact. Integrity - We foster an environment of transparency and honesty that is built on respect and openness. Results - We are accountable for achieving excellence through measurable, impactful outcomes. OPERATING PRINCIPLES 1. NeighborWorks America commits to building and maintaining the strength of our leadership, the skills and motivation of staff, and the effectiveness of our network. 2. NeighborWorks America commits to promoting active engagement of and leadership by residents as an essential ingredient in all aspects of strengthening communities. 3. NeighborWorks America commits to employ and promote green and sustainable practices for the long-term benefit of residents and communities. Each year, NeighborWorks America s senior management team will establish actions for the coming year that specifically advance these operating principles, and will subsequently track our progress and hold ourselves accountable for these actions. STRATEGIC GOALS Goal 1: NeighborWorks America creates and preserves housing opportunities that are sustainable and affordable. Goal 2: NeighborWorks America advances comprehensive community development and resident engagement to achieve positive community impact. Goal 3: NeighborWorks America supports a Network of Excellence of strong, sustainable NeighborWorks organizations that collectively leverage expertise and effective business models. Goal 4: NeighborWorks America strengthens the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the community development and affordable housing field. Goal 5: NeighborWorks America optimizes its organizational performance to achieve its strategic goals. Page 2

3 OUTCOMES Goal 1: NeighborWorks America creates and preserves housing opportunities that are sustainable and affordable. Outcome 1 By 2016, NeighborWorks has led and supported the education of 500,000 consumers in effective financial capability, homebuyer education and/or foreclosure intervention, and quantified the impact. Outcome 2: By 2016, NeighborWorks has assisted 200,000 families and individuals become successful new homeowners and preserve the homes they own. Outcome 3: By 2016, NeighborWorks has created and preserved 40,000 affordable rental homes, and the Network owns and manages affordable rental homes for 120,000 households. Outcome 4: By 2016, NeighborWorks has increased its service to underserved places and/or populations by 25% per year. The first goal reflects NeighborWorks America s and the NeighborWorks network s core business: creating opportunities for people to live in affordable homes. It includes developing new homes for both ownership and rental, helping consumers to make well informed housing choices, ensuring housing sustainability through foreclosure intervention, housing rehabilitation, and asset management, and ensuring that viable options are available to a broad range of populations and areas, in particular those populations and areas in greatest need. Goal 2: NeighborWorks America advances comprehensive community development and resident engagement to achieve positive community impact. Outcome 1: By 2016, 75% of NeighborWorks organizations have demonstrated positive community impact, using a common set of Success Measures indicators. Outcome 2: By 2016, NeighborWorks America s support of network community stabilization efforts will result in investment of over $300 million. Outcome 3: By 2016, NeighborWorks America and its network have created and/or maintained 40,000 jobs through community development and affordable housing activities and investments. Outcome 4: By 2016, NeighborWorks America and its network have provided resident leadership training to 35,000 participants. The second goal recognizes the need to promote and support network efforts in comprehensive community development. Due to the range of community development strategies employed by NeighborWorks organizations and supported by NeighborWorks Page 3

4 America, the strategic plan focuses on the achievement and measurement of positive impacts in the communities the NeighborWorks organizations serve rather than on particular community development strategies. The goal also recognizes the critical impact of jobs created and preserved in communities in this economy. Finally, the goal recognizes that active involvement from community residents is a key component in ensuring the success of comprehensive community development. Goal 3: NeighborWorks America supports a Network of Excellence of strong, sustainable NeighborWorks organizations that collectively leverage expertise and effective business models. Outcome 1: No more than 10% of NeighborWorks organizations are rated vulnerable as measured by the annual Organizational Health Tracking System (OHTS) rating, and all have a corrective action plan in place. Outcome 2: By 2016, NeighborWorks America has invested in 5-10 NeighborWorks networkdriven collaborative models that improve the NeighborWorks network s efficiency and impact. Outcome 3: By 2016, two-thirds of NeighborWorks organizations have achieved NeighborWorks green designation. The third goal recognizes that the primary agents of NeighborWorks services to families and communities are the nearly 230 organizations in its network. It is through the highest quality of service, and the strongest financial, programmatic, and governance of these organizations that families and communities are best served. The NeighborWorks organization designation should indicate excellence to recipients of services, partners, funders and policy makers alike. While Goal 1 focuses on what NeighborWorks America and its network provide, Goal 3 addresses the means to do so effectively and efficiently. In addition, Goal 3 emphasizes the value add of being part of a network, rather than just an individual organization and reinforces NeighborWorks America s commitment to leveraging the power of the network to achieve greater impact and efficiency. Goal 4: NeighborWorks America strengthens the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of the community development and affordable housing field. Outcome 1: By 2016, NeighborWorks America has provided 100,000 training certificates to affordable housing and community development professionals, board members, and resident leaders across 3,800 unique organizations/agencies, and evaluated the impact of a key element of its curriculum every two years. Outcome 2: By 2016, NeighborWorks America has increased participation by 25% in Success Measures, Counselor Max, Strength Matters, and Organizational Assessment Services. Page 4

5 The fourth goal reflects the Corporation s wider reach. NeighborWorks America strengthens the skills and performance of the NeighborWorks network and the broader affordable housing and community development field. By providing professional skill development and certification, resident leadership development, and proven tools and services to community development nonprofits and municipalities, NeighborWorks greatly multiplies its impact on individuals, families and communities throughout the country. Through these efforts, NeighborWorks elevates the standards of performance and measurement of the entire community development industry. Goal 5: NeighborWorks America optimizes its organizational performance to achieve its strategic goals. Outcome 1: By 2016, NeighborWorks America has increased unrestricted net assets by $2.5 million. Outcome 2: By 2014, NeighborWorks America has implemented a capital investment process to address infrastructure and information technology investments to align with budget planning. Outcome 3: By 2016, NeighborWorks America has demonstrated commitment to green business operations through the attainment of third party green business certification OR achievement of a 3rd party assisted internal green operations plan. The fifth goal reflects NeighborWorks America s recognition that its ability to make an impact depends, in part, on its own financial and organizational soundness. To promote a Network of Excellence and elevate the performance of the industry, NeighborWorks America must itself meet the highest standards of excellence. Page 5